Sectional fountain type toothbrush



March 19, 1963 J. MILLER 3,031,783

SECTIONAL FCUNTAIN TYPE TOOTHBRUSH Filed Nov. 8. 1960 16 INVENTOR. 8 JACK MILLER BY 1'- g ATTORNEY United States Patent M 3,081,7fi3 SECTIONAL FOUNTAIN TYPE TUOTHBRUH Jack Miller, 1410 20th St., Miami Beach, Fla. Filed Nov. 8, 1960, Ser. No. 67,967 1 Claim. (Cl. 132-84) This invention relates to an improvement in fountain type toothbrushes and has particular reference to a toothbrush having a brush head and a detachable hollow handle carrying a pressurized supply of toothpaste and with the handle being disposable after the supply of paste has been exhausted.

The invention contemplates a toothbrush head that is formed in two parts and with the parts being held in assembled relation by a dovetail connection and with one of the parts having a group of bristles embedded therein while the other part is provided with a longitudinal channel that extends throughout the length of the head and a reduced neck portion and connects with a discharge nozzle at one end of the head while the opposite end that extends through the neck portion is open to have com munication with a discharge valve opening of the handle and whereby paste may be forced through the channel and discharged from the nozzle for direct spreading application of the paste to the teeth for subsequent brushing in the usual manner by the bristles.

The invention provides a novel form of brush head having a pair of rectangular plates that have mating engagement and with each of the plates being extended at one end to form a cylindrical neck portion of a reservoir forming handle and with the plates at the opposite end being provided with short flanges that extend outwardly to form a relatively narrow nozzle through which the paste is discharged in a ribbon form to be spread upon the teeth and with the nozzle end of the brush having a removable cap that closes the nozzle, the structure being such that the plates forming the brush head may be quickly and easily separated for cleaning, may be molded in a suitable plastics, is simple in construction and cheap to manufacture and constitutes a means for applying the ribbon of paste directly to the teeth that is afterwards brushed in the usual manner by a group of bristles carried by one of the plates.

Novel features of construction and operation of the device will be more clearly apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein has been illustrated a preferred'form of the device and wherein like characters of reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the brush in assembled relation to a reservoir forming handle,

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation thereof,

FEGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the parts in the partly disassembled relation,

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal section taken substantially on line 44 of FIGURE 1, with a closure cap being in separated relation,

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a back forming section of the brush head,

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the free end portion of the brush head with the parts in spaced apart relation,

FZGURE 7 is a transverse section taken on line 77 of FIGURE 3, and

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a closure cap for a reduced neck portion of the brush head.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates an assembled brush head, connected with a 3,081,783 Patented Mar. 19, 1963 preferably cylindrical reservoir forming handle 6. The brush head 5 is formed in two generally rectangular sections embodying a bristle holding plate 7 and a backing plate 8. The plate 7 is provided upon its flat side 9 with a dovetail groove 10. The plate 7 upon its exposed side is formed generally oval or rounded and has embedded therein a plurality of groups of bristles 11. The plate 7 is provided with a reduced extension 12 that is semi cylindrical in shape and that constitutes one-half of a neck portion 13. The backing plate 8 has a mating fiat side 14 that is provided intermediate its width with dovetail ribs 15. The ribs 15 are adapted to have slidable engagement with the dovetail groove 19 at assembly of the brush head. As shown in FIGURE 5, the backing plate is grooved throughout its length as shown at 16 and the backing plate is also reduced to form a mating semicylindrical neck portion 17. The forward ends of the plates 7 and 8 are formed flat and the plate 8 upon its bottom side is arcuately formed, corresponding to the curvature of the plate 7. The groove 16 is tapered in length, with its larger width opening from the neck portion 13 and tapering toward the flat ends of the plates 7 and 8. The plate 8 is provided with a flange extension 18 of generally U-shape or, conforming to the shape of the groove 16 While the plate 7 at its flat end is provided with a lip portion 19 that overlies the end portions of the flange 1R, providing a forwardly extending nozzle to which paste is discharged directly to the teeth of the user. In the assembled relation of the parts as illustrated, a cap 2% is recessed at 21 to engage over the nozzle to form a closure cover and the cap 21 is arcutaely formed so as to conform to the end of the brush at assembly. The cap 2% may be knurled or otherwise roughened at 22 to facilitate the removal of the cap.

The neck portion 13 is provided with oppositely extending pins 23 that engage within bayonet slots 24 formed in a reduced neck extension 25 of the handle 6. The groove 16 of the brush head communicates with a port 26 formed in a thickened portion 27 of the handle and a slidable valve or other suitable means 28 is provided to control the discharge of the pressurized toothpaste held within the handle 6.

In the use of the device, with the brush head 5 being in assembled relation as illustrated in FlGURES 1-4 inclusive, the neck portion 13 is inserted into the neck 25 and has interlocking engagement within the bayonet slots by a half revolution of the head with respect to the handle, forming a close juncture with the end of the cylindrical recess 29 and by a half revolution, the groove 16 will be in direct alignment with the port 26. The cap 20 is then removed and the valve 28 then actuated by a button 36, permitting paste to flow through the port 26 and the groove 16 to be discharged in ribbon form from the nozzle at the opposite end of the brush. The device is held against the teeth and the ribbon of toothpaste is spread evenly over the teeth with the bristles 11 being held in the position illustrated in FIGURE 3. After the paste has been applied to the teeth, the cap 24) is again engaged with the nozzle and the bristles thenemployed to brush the teeth in a customary manner. The handle 6 is pressurized in any desirable manner and may be of the type where it requires a shaking action of the brush to generate the pressure required to eject the paste. When the paste has been exhausted from the handle 6, the brush 5 is disconnected by a rotative movement and withdrawn from the neck portion 25 at which time the handle may be discarded and it is contemplated, that the brush may function for an indefinite period of time and that the handle carrying a new supply of paste be substituted and connected as before described. When the brush requires cleaning, the two plates 7 and 8 may be disconnected by a sliding action, such sliding action being permitted by the dovetail engagement of the two parts. The plates 7 and 8 can thus be quickly and easily cleaned and reassembled for further use. While a pin and bayonet slot have been described, it will be apparent that any other desirable interlocking means may be employed between the neck 13 and the handle 6. The bristles 11 are molded into the plate 7 in a conventional manner. When the head is removed from the handle 6, with paste remaining in the groove 16, a cap 31 may be engaged over the free end of the neck 13 to prevent the entry of foreign matter and to prevent the drying of the paste remaining in the groove.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a very simple and novel form of toothbrush has been provided, the several parts may be :molded of a suitable plastic in a simple and expeditious manner and the dovetail connection between the plates 7 and S facilitate the engagement of the plates and with the dovetail ribs 15 engaging the groove it in a snug manner that holds the flat sides 9 and 14 in relatively firm engagement to prevent leakage of the paste laterally of the head. The device is strong, durable, cheap to manufacture and provides a toothbrush that is long-lasting and functions in a manner to first spread the paste upon the teeth for subsequent brushing action of the bristles 11. i

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fall within the spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A fountain type tooth brush comprising, a head portion and a hollow detachable handle, the handle containing a pressurized supply of toothpaste, the head portion being longitudinally divided into two separate mating sections having flat opposed surfaces, each of the sections being semi-oval in cross section, the flat surface of one of the sections being provided for its entire length wtih a dovetail rib, and the flat surface of the other section having a dovetail groove receiving said rib whereby the two sections have longitudinally slidable interlocking engagement with one another, each of the sections being reduced in diameter at one end to form an extended neck portion, the neck portion at assembly being substantially cylindrical in cross section and interfittingly locked into a socket formed on the handle member, the said dovetail rib being provided with a groove extending longitudinally from one end of the head portion to its other end, said groove communicating at one end with the interior of the handle, one of the head members carrying bristles, the rib-carrying member having an integral extended flange at one end, the other head-forming member being provided with a lip portion overlying the flange whereby the flange and the lip portion extend beyond the end of the head portion and co-operate to form an open nozzle extending beyond the ends of the head portions for the discharge of tooth paste from the handle wholly beyond the bristles, said nozzle constituting a discharge nipple of smaller transverse size than the transverse size of the two united head portions and whereby the tooth paste may be directly ejected from the nozzle at a point beyond the bristles and upon the teeth of the user for subsequent brushing action by the bristles, a closure cap adapted to frictionally and removably engage the nozzle for protecting the remaining tooth paste in the groove and to also protect the mouth of the user during the brushing operation, the said head and the neck portion being capable of being disassembled with respect to the dovetail rib and dovetail groove connection, whereby the groove may be readily cleaned of any accumulated hardened tooth paste that might collect therein, the said head portion being truly oval in cross section when in assembled relation, and means carried by the handle to cause the flow of pressurized tooth paste into the head portion and through the nozzle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,325,268 Sosdian Dec. 116, 1919 1,362,937 Grace Dec. 21, 1920 1,596,365 Mendoza Aug. 17, 1926 2,326,632 Friedman Aug. 10, 1943 2,668,973 Glaza et al Feb. 16, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 309,8716 Switzerland Dec. 1, 1955 702,257 Great Britain Jan. 13, 1954 947,539 France Jan. 10, 1949 1,009,187 France Feb. 27, 1952 

